diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 3f3f9a3727..a73cd6b9de 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -8946,7 +8946,7 @@ get_sync_bit(int method)
 	 * after its written. Also, walreceiver performs unaligned writes, which
 	 * don't work with O_DIRECT, so it is required for correctness too.
 	 */
-	if (!XLogIsNeeded() && !am_walreceiver)
+	if (!XLogIsNeeded() && !AmWalReceiverProcess())
 		o_direct_flag = PG_O_DIRECT;
 
 	switch (method)
diff --git a/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c b/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c
index e3ae92d540..b7428829f3 100644
--- a/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c
+++ b/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ static void cleanup(void);
  * ----------------
  */
 
+AuxProcType	MyAuxProcType = NotAnAuxProcess;	/* declared in miscadmin.h */
+
 Relation	boot_reldesc;		/* current relation descriptor */
 
 Form_pg_attribute attrtypes[MAXATTR];	/* points to attribute info */
@@ -187,7 +189,6 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	char	   *progname = argv[0];
 	int			flag;
-	AuxProcType auxType = CheckerProcess;
 	char	   *userDoption = NULL;
 
 	/*
@@ -228,6 +229,9 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 		argc--;
 	}
 
+	/* If no -x argument, we are a CheckerProcess */
+	MyAuxProcType = CheckerProcess;
+
 	while ((flag = getopt(argc, argv, "B:c:d:D:Fr:x:-:")) != -1)
 	{
 		switch (flag)
@@ -258,7 +262,7 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 				strlcpy(OutputFileName, optarg, MAXPGPATH);
 				break;
 			case 'x':
-				auxType = atoi(optarg);
+				MyAuxProcType = atoi(optarg);
 				break;
 			case 'c':
 			case '-':
@@ -308,7 +312,7 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	{
 		const char *statmsg;
 
-		switch (auxType)
+		switch (MyAuxProcType)
 		{
 			case StartupProcess:
 				statmsg = "startup process";
@@ -374,15 +378,15 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 		/*
 		 * Assign the ProcSignalSlot for an auxiliary process.	Since it
 		 * doesn't have a BackendId, the slot is statically allocated based on
-		 * the auxiliary process type (auxType).  Backends use slots indexed
-		 * in the range from 1 to MaxBackends (inclusive), so we use
+		 * the auxiliary process type (MyAuxProcType).  Backends use slots
+		 * indexed in the range from 1 to MaxBackends (inclusive), so we use
 		 * MaxBackends + AuxProcType + 1 as the index of the slot for an
 		 * auxiliary process.
 		 *
 		 * This will need rethinking if we ever want more than one of a
 		 * particular auxiliary process type.
 		 */
-		ProcSignalInit(MaxBackends + auxType + 1);
+		ProcSignalInit(MaxBackends + MyAuxProcType + 1);
 
 		/* finish setting up bufmgr.c */
 		InitBufferPoolBackend();
@@ -396,7 +400,7 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	 */
 	SetProcessingMode(NormalProcessing);
 
-	switch (auxType)
+	switch (MyAuxProcType)
 	{
 		case CheckerProcess:
 			/* don't set signals, they're useless here */
@@ -436,7 +440,7 @@ AuxiliaryProcessMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 			proc_exit(1);		/* should never return */
 
 		default:
-			elog(PANIC, "unrecognized process type: %d", auxType);
+			elog(PANIC, "unrecognized process type: %d", (int) MyAuxProcType);
 			proc_exit(1);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/bgwriter.c b/src/backend/postmaster/bgwriter.c
index 5f93fccbfa..f98f138e9a 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/bgwriter.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/bgwriter.c
@@ -74,11 +74,6 @@ int			BgWriterDelay = 200;
 static volatile sig_atomic_t got_SIGHUP = false;
 static volatile sig_atomic_t shutdown_requested = false;
 
-/*
- * Private state
- */
-static bool am_bg_writer = false;
-
 /* Signal handlers */
 
 static void bg_quickdie(SIGNAL_ARGS);
@@ -90,8 +85,8 @@ static void bgwriter_sigusr1_handler(SIGNAL_ARGS);
 /*
  * Main entry point for bgwriter process
  *
- * This is invoked from BootstrapMain, which has already created the basic
- * execution environment, but not enabled signals yet.
+ * This is invoked from AuxiliaryProcessMain, which has already created the
+ * basic execution environment, but not enabled signals yet.
  */
 void
 BackgroundWriterMain(void)
@@ -100,8 +95,6 @@ BackgroundWriterMain(void)
 	MemoryContext bgwriter_context;
 	bool		prev_hibernate;
 
-	am_bg_writer = true;
-
 	/*
 	 * If possible, make this process a group leader, so that the postmaster
 	 * can signal any child processes too.	(bgwriter probably never has any
diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/checkpointer.c b/src/backend/postmaster/checkpointer.c
index 92fd4276cd..b8715ea676 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/checkpointer.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/checkpointer.c
@@ -153,8 +153,6 @@ static volatile sig_atomic_t shutdown_requested = false;
 /*
  * Private state
  */
-static bool am_checkpointer = false;
-
 static bool ckpt_active = false;
 
 /* these values are valid when ckpt_active is true: */
@@ -185,8 +183,8 @@ static void ReqShutdownHandler(SIGNAL_ARGS);
 /*
  * Main entry point for checkpointer process
  *
- * This is invoked from BootstrapMain, which has already created the basic
- * execution environment, but not enabled signals yet.
+ * This is invoked from AuxiliaryProcessMain, which has already created the
+ * basic execution environment, but not enabled signals yet.
  */
 void
 CheckpointerMain(void)
@@ -195,7 +193,6 @@ CheckpointerMain(void)
 	MemoryContext checkpointer_context;
 
 	CheckpointerShmem->checkpointer_pid = MyProcPid;
-	am_checkpointer = true;
 
 	/*
 	 * If possible, make this process a group leader, so that the postmaster
@@ -685,7 +682,7 @@ CheckpointWriteDelay(int flags, double progress)
 	static int	absorb_counter = WRITES_PER_ABSORB;
 
 	/* Do nothing if checkpoint is being executed by non-checkpointer process */
-	if (!am_checkpointer)
+	if (!AmCheckpointerProcess())
 		return;
 
 	/*
@@ -1129,7 +1126,7 @@ ForwardFsyncRequest(RelFileNode rnode, ForkNumber forknum, BlockNumber segno)
 	if (!IsUnderPostmaster)
 		return false;			/* probably shouldn't even get here */
 
-	if (am_checkpointer)
+	if (AmCheckpointerProcess())
 		elog(ERROR, "ForwardFsyncRequest must not be called in checkpointer");
 
 	LWLockAcquire(CheckpointerCommLock, LW_EXCLUSIVE);
@@ -1306,7 +1303,7 @@ AbsorbFsyncRequests(void)
 	CheckpointerRequest *request;
 	int			n;
 
-	if (!am_checkpointer)
+	if (!AmCheckpointerProcess())
 		return;
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/walwriter.c b/src/backend/postmaster/walwriter.c
index b7b8512555..8a79495581 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/walwriter.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/walwriter.c
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ static void walwriter_sigusr1_handler(SIGNAL_ARGS);
 /*
  * Main entry point for walwriter process
  *
- * This is invoked from BootstrapMain, which has already created the basic
- * execution environment, but not enabled signals yet.
+ * This is invoked from AuxiliaryProcessMain, which has already created the
+ * basic execution environment, but not enabled signals yet.
  */
 void
 WalWriterMain(void)
diff --git a/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c b/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
index fd119d38cb..b0a8b19760 100644
--- a/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
+++ b/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
@@ -52,10 +52,8 @@
 #include "utils/resowner.h"
 #include "utils/timestamp.h"
 
-/* Global variable to indicate if this process is a walreceiver process */
-bool		am_walreceiver;
 
-/* GUC variable */
+/* GUC variables */
 int			wal_receiver_status_interval;
 bool		hot_standby_feedback;
 
@@ -176,8 +174,6 @@ WalReceiverMain(void)
 	/* use volatile pointer to prevent code rearrangement */
 	volatile WalRcvData *walrcv = WalRcv;
 
-	am_walreceiver = true;
-
 	/*
 	 * WalRcv should be set up already (if we are a backend, we inherit this
 	 * by fork() or EXEC_BACKEND mechanism from the postmaster).
diff --git a/src/backend/storage/ipc/procsignal.c b/src/backend/storage/ipc/procsignal.c
index 3d7e85fba4..0f0d4dd48d 100644
--- a/src/backend/storage/ipc/procsignal.c
+++ b/src/backend/storage/ipc/procsignal.c
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
-#include "bootstrap/bootstrap.h"
 #include "commands/async.h"
 #include "miscadmin.h"
 #include "storage/latch.h"
diff --git a/src/backend/storage/smgr/md.c b/src/backend/storage/smgr/md.c
index c05315d884..f074cedca5 100644
--- a/src/backend/storage/smgr/md.c
+++ b/src/backend/storage/smgr/md.c
@@ -196,11 +196,10 @@ mdinit(void)
 
 	/*
 	 * Create pending-operations hashtable if we need it.  Currently, we need
-	 * it if we are standalone (not under a postmaster) OR if we are a
-	 * bootstrap-mode subprocess of a postmaster (that is, a startup or
-	 * checkpointer process).
+	 * it if we are standalone (not under a postmaster) or if we are a startup
+	 * or checkpointer auxiliary process.
 	 */
-	if (!IsUnderPostmaster || IsBootstrapProcessingMode())
+	if (!IsUnderPostmaster || AmStartupProcess() || AmCheckpointerProcess())
 	{
 		HASHCTL		hash_ctl;
 
diff --git a/src/include/bootstrap/bootstrap.h b/src/include/bootstrap/bootstrap.h
index b31bca9411..58fc2825b8 100644
--- a/src/include/bootstrap/bootstrap.h
+++ b/src/include/bootstrap/bootstrap.h
@@ -16,18 +16,6 @@
 
 #include "nodes/execnodes.h"
 
-typedef enum
-{
-	CheckerProcess,
-	BootstrapProcess,
-	StartupProcess,
-	BgWriterProcess,
-	CheckpointerProcess,
-	WalWriterProcess,
-	WalReceiverProcess,
-
-	NUM_AUXPROCTYPES			/* Must be last! */
-} AuxProcType;
 
 /*
  * MAXATTR is the maximum number of attributes in a relation supported
diff --git a/src/include/miscadmin.h b/src/include/miscadmin.h
index b186eed8f4..8df2a28126 100644
--- a/src/include/miscadmin.h
+++ b/src/include/miscadmin.h
@@ -328,8 +328,8 @@ extern bool superuser_arg(Oid roleid);	/* given user is superuser */
  * initialization is complete.	Some code behaves differently when executed
  * in this mode to enable system bootstrapping.
  *
- * If a POSTGRES binary is in normal mode, then all code may be executed
- * normally.
+ * If a POSTGRES backend process is in normal mode, then all code may be
+ * executed normally.
  */
 
 typedef enum ProcessingMode
@@ -341,9 +341,11 @@ typedef enum ProcessingMode
 
 extern ProcessingMode Mode;
 
-#define IsBootstrapProcessingMode() ((bool)(Mode == BootstrapProcessing))
-#define IsInitProcessingMode() ((bool)(Mode == InitProcessing))
-#define IsNormalProcessingMode() ((bool)(Mode == NormalProcessing))
+#define IsBootstrapProcessingMode()	(Mode == BootstrapProcessing)
+#define IsInitProcessingMode()		(Mode == InitProcessing)
+#define IsNormalProcessingMode()	(Mode == NormalProcessing)
+
+#define GetProcessingMode() Mode
 
 #define SetProcessingMode(mode) \
 	do { \
@@ -353,7 +355,35 @@ extern ProcessingMode Mode;
 		Mode = (mode); \
 	} while(0)
 
-#define GetProcessingMode() Mode
+
+/*
+ * Auxiliary-process type identifiers.  These used to be in bootstrap.h
+ * but it seems saner to have them here, with the ProcessingMode stuff.
+ * The MyAuxProcType global is defined and set in bootstrap.c.
+ */
+
+typedef enum
+{
+	NotAnAuxProcess = -1,
+	CheckerProcess = 0,
+	BootstrapProcess,
+	StartupProcess,
+	BgWriterProcess,
+	CheckpointerProcess,
+	WalWriterProcess,
+	WalReceiverProcess,
+
+	NUM_AUXPROCTYPES			/* Must be last! */
+} AuxProcType;
+
+extern AuxProcType MyAuxProcType;
+
+#define AmBootstrapProcess()		(MyAuxProcType == BootstrapProcess)
+#define AmStartupProcess()			(MyAuxProcType == StartupProcess)
+#define AmBackgroundWriterProcess()	(MyAuxProcType == BgWriterProcess)
+#define AmCheckpointerProcess()		(MyAuxProcType == CheckpointerProcess)
+#define AmWalWriterProcess()		(MyAuxProcType == WalWriterProcess)
+#define AmWalReceiverProcess()		(MyAuxProcType == WalReceiverProcess)
 
 
 /*****************************************************************************
diff --git a/src/include/replication/walreceiver.h b/src/include/replication/walreceiver.h
index 31449d214e..8ef67f8a86 100644
--- a/src/include/replication/walreceiver.h
+++ b/src/include/replication/walreceiver.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #include "storage/spin.h"
 #include "pgtime.h"
 
-extern bool am_walreceiver;
 extern int	wal_receiver_status_interval;
 extern bool hot_standby_feedback;